Page 4 of Loving Roman
I turn, ready to leave, when her sweet voice stops me in my tracks. “Roman?”
Spinning back around, a tight smile on my lips, I dip my head. “Alice.” I look back at the door. “I was just … uh … leaving.”
Her arched brows dip over her stunning cornflower eyes as she peers up at me. “You’re not here for the kayak tour?”
I shove my hands deep into the pockets of my shorts and shrug. “I thought I’d come back tomorrow.”
“You’re here now, why not stay?” she asks, confusion written all over her pretty face.
How do I tell her I got her message loud and clear this morning?
Her expression changes to one of understanding, and guilt washes over her delicate features. She brings her hand up and rests it on my forearm; her touch sending electric pulses up my arm. “I’m sorry about this morning.”
I try to play ignorant, schooling my expression and tilting my head to the side as if I don’t know what she’s talking about.
“I’m sorry about the way I suddenly changed my mind about breakfast this morning. I … uh … I wasn’t sure it was a good idea to share breakfast with a married man.”
I take a giant step back in surprise.Married?I laugh humorlessly. She couldn’t be more wrong. “What gave you the impression I’m married?” I jab my thumb into my chest to ensure she understands I’m asking about myself.
She tucks her hair behind her ear, drawing attention to the bold white shock of hair across the front, which is a stark contrast to the rest of the soft brown strands. “Well … you said you weren’t used to eating alone. So I assumed …” she shrugs as she leaves her sentence unfinished. “I’m sorry if I was mistaken.”
“Well, I’m not,” I rush to reassure her, watching her shoulders drop and her face crumple with hurt. “I mean, I’m not married. I would never invite a woman to breakfast if I were married. I would never cross that line.” Her eyes widen, and so do her lips.Should I admit I’ve never been married because I’ve always been married to my job? Is that some kind of red flag these days?Maybe I’ll leave that information unsaid.
“Oh.”
Loud claps break through the chatter and draw our attention to the front of the shop. “Welcome toThe Surf Shack. I’m Brenton; your guide today. I’ve been doing guided kayak tours since 2015, so let’s get started.” A young woman walks between everyone, handing out papers and pens. “Please take a moment to read through our waiver and sign it. I’ll give you five and meet you outside.”
He steps out, and we all spend a few moments reading through the document. I find a flat surface, complete my details and sign it, before handing it back to the young woman behind the counter with my payment.
We move outside, and Brenton explains the importance of water safety as he hands us each a life jacket. Alice struggles to adjust the straps, so I step closer. “You need some help?”
She smiles up at me with appreciation, and I swear my heart twists in my chest. “Please.” The nylon webbing is stiff from being in salt water, and it takes brute force to pull it through the fasteners, but I get it adjusted to fit her properly.
Brenton tells us to pair up, and it makes sense for Alice and me to share a kayak, seeing as we’re around the same age and everyone else is part of a group. I hold our designated kayak steady while she climbs in, a little wobbly on her feet, and takes her seat at the front. She reaches back shakily when I hand over her paddle, then balances it across the kayak. A light breeze blows her hair around her face, and she smooths it behind her ear. Geez, she’s pretty.
She smiles nervously at me again, showing a dimple in her left cheek I hadn’t noticed before. I trace her soft features, pausing on the lines around her eyes and mouth that tell me she smiles often. “Thank you … again.”
I grin back. “You’re welcome.” Climbing in, I dip low to maintain balance and keep the kayak as steady as I can, trying not to frighten Alice.
Her hands shoot out with the paddle to grip the sides of the kayak when it rocks, a nervous chuckle escaping her lips. “Oh!”
“Sorry. I was trying to keep it as steady as I could.” I push my hair out of my eyes. I really should have gotten it cut before I left on vacation.
“That’s okay. I’m just not a great swimmer,” she chuckles humorlessly.
I snap my eyes to hers in confusion. “And yet, you’re taking a guided kayak tour?”
She shrugs. “I try not to let my fears rule my life.” She tucks her fingers inside her life jacket. “I figure these work pretty well, and I researched the tour … we don’t paddle too far from shore. I guess I felt the risk was minimal.”
Pride for this woman I don’t even know fills my chest. It’s a feeling I experience regularly for my kids, so it’s easy to identify. “Good for you. Too many people let their fears rule their lives.”
“Absolutely.”
We’re quiet for a few minutes, both of us working to synchronize our paddling so we can move through the calm water of the bay in a straight line. Even though I’m only one hour from home, the landscape is very different here. The rugged rocky outcrops jutting from the glistening water offer a stark contrast to the bright blue of the sky and the deep blue of the water, while the breeze off the ocean provides a cooling reprieve from the blistering sun.
This would be an even better experience if it were just Alice and me kayaking at sunset. As it is, the rest of the group are behaving exactly as I expected.
Alice’s hair blows in the breeze as she chuckles at the antics of the college kids. “Oh, to be that young again.”
